Business travelers have few of the luxuries that the rest of us take for granted, such as sleeping in the same bed and waking up in the same place every morning. Take into account frequent flights and jetlag, coupled with rushed airplane food and lots of restaurant outings, and it’s not hard to imagine that this type of life can have an effect on the quality of ones sleep.

For people who frequently travel, sleep problems and insomnia can become a re-occurring issue. If this is a situation that sounds all too familiar to you, there’s a type of sleep device or sleep machine out there that may be extremely beneficial in aiding in your sleep. It’s nothing new, but it’s popularity and availability is new; I’m talking about using a travel white noise machine.

A travel white noise machine is designed to do two things. One, it’s primary function, which is that of emitting white noise. This white noise creates a sound barrier – perhaps even a kind of psychological barrier too – between your inner self and the rest of the world. When trying to fall asleep, a travel white noise machine will block out of external sounds and replace them with a consistent stream of white noise. This then allows the mind some space in which to rest and to fall asleep naturally. Secondly, a travel white noise machine is designed to be used for travelers and people “on the go”. This means the unit is compact and comes equipped with the options for both battery and outlet power. Many white noise machine of this type are also equipped with a headphone jack so that travelers can get complete privacy no matter where they are – such as sleeping on a plane.

If you are thinking of buying a travel white noise machine, here are some things to keep in mind about sound machines and white noise devices in general.

1. If you do travel frequently, invest in a sound machine that’s going to last. It’s possible that with all the traveler, a cheap white noise device will break in your luggage or at some point be dropped on accident.

2. Not all white noise devices have the option of using headphones with them. Because you are going to be on lots of airplane rides, to me, it is absolutely worth it to buy one with the option for headphones. Even if it costs $10 more, trust me – it’s going to be worth it the very first time you use it on a plane to block out all the nonsense happening around you and enter your own private world of sleep.

3. Look for a travel white noise machine that offers lots of different white noise settings. This means not just one type of sound. This shouldn’t be hard – most models offer about a dozen different settings of white noise and other sounds.

4. If you travel internationally, be sure to get a white noise machine that operates on battery power. Why? Because the power outlets and power standards are different between countries (such as the US and Europe), which means you can’t use the same power cable in both countries. Batteries to the rescue!

5. Consider buying a white noise machine app for your Ipod, Blackberry, Android, etc. phone. This could be a slick trick to getting a white noise generator device without buying yet another gadget to carry around with you traveling!

Travelers lead a hectic lifestyle. I am actually so used to using my own Conair white noise machine that when I’m traveling and don’t have it, the hotel room feels “naked” or just ridiculously open and quiet. When traveling out of the office for work, there’s enough stress already – having a travel white noise sound machine to welcome you with open arms into the wonderful world of a sleep is an affordable comfort that you’ll most likely very much appreciate.

Four years ago I received a white noise machine for Christmas. I’ve always maintained an active interest in such things as sleep meditation, sound machines, white noise, even more esoteric stuff such as binaural beats and brainwave entrainment. Therefore, I was pretty psyched to get a white noise machine as a gift. I actually had to ask myself, “Wait a minute, why don’t I already own one of these items?”

This was a Conair White Noise Machine. It’s not the most solid white noise generator, and it’s priced affordably compared to many other white noise devices out there on the market. It does the job though, for sure. It’s to the point now where I use it every single night to obscure my mind into la-la land and go to sleep quicker.

I’ve gotten so into the habit of just using my favorite setting, Ocean Waves, I forget that the Conair White Noise Machine also comes equipped with other sounds, such as:

• Tropic Forest
• Thunderstorm
• Summer Night (another one of my favorites)
• White Noise
• Heartbeat (this one is creepy and kind of lame)
• Songbirds
• Waterfall
• Running Stream (another great one)
• Rainfall (another great one)

So is it safe to say I like my Conair White Noise Machine? Absolutely – BUT, it is not without its faults. There are a few things I wish they’d improve on. For instance, the sound function or volume control on the device is huge and easy to move, but that’s the problem – it’s so entirely easy to move, that many times I suddenly crank up the volume when I’m simply trying to turn it up just a little or even reaching over to turn it down. The other complaint is that while I adore the sound settings for Ocean Waves, Summer Night, Running Stream, and Rainfall, I must admit that some of the other sounds can occasionally sound “tinny”. Maybe cheap is a more descriptive word. What this amounts to is that while there are 10 sounds on here, you’ll probably only use half of them because a few just don’t sound all that great.

But for the price – the unit delivers quite well and does offer about some really great white noise sounds to help you sleep. Be careful though! If you’re anything like me – a person with a lot of sleep problems, eish! – you could get a Conair white noise machine and quickly get hooked on it when you realize how helpful it is in guiding you to sleep.

Edit: The Conair sound machine I’m talking about in this review is sold under the model of SU1. This is the same one sold at Target, Kohls, Walmart, and all the over place pretty much as an “entry level” white noise machine.